Masdevallia racemosa

Masdevallia racemosa Lindl., Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 15: 256, 1845.

Synonyms: Spectaculum racemosum (Lindl) Luer, Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 105: 14. 2006.

Type: Colombia. Above Popayán, Páramo de Puracé, 3000 m, 1843 K. T. Hartweg 1432 (holotype: K!, Isotypes: BM, G, LD, P. W).

Illustrated specimen: Colombia. Cauca, Puracé: Limites con el PNN Puracé, 3200 m, 10 de abril de 2017, J.S. Moreno 418 (CAUP; LCDP voucher).

Masdevallia racemosa, an endemic species from the Central Cordillera in Cauca department, is recognized by its long repent habit, with a creeping or ascending rhizome, a loose inflorescence of successive and simultaneous intense red-orange flowers, deeply connate sepals forming sepaline tube, elliptical acute petals and an oblong lip. Like other Masdevallia species with large, brightly-colored flowers, M. racemosa is commonly believed to be hummingbird pollinated. Nevertheless, the morphology of petals, lip and column, as can be seen in the LCDP, is consistent with fly pollination instead. . .